New Ulm weekly review., 1887-03-16

to him that she was pale, and her
smile q little tremulous.
'Thee'st been away q, long while,
Jasper = she said. Thy mothers
been asking for thee
"Well, doubt not ske.la forgive me,
Tor twas for thy sake;. lass he said,
putting the flowers IN her, lap. .'Thee
saidst, one day back, thee wanted
anemones, and I've got 'enDfor thee"
'1Oh, good Jasper!" she cried bury
ing her tace in the blossoms. .'Oh,
good Jasper!"
She laid them against her cheek, and
ever and anon looked up att him and
nanrmured, "Good Jasper!'' IN 8 tone
that rang strangely to him, it was so
unlike her usual merry chatter.
Meanwhile Challoner was packing
up his things, paying little heed to his
companions. He knew Jasper dis
liked him, and guessed the reason. AS
for Bet-lovely little girl-Yes, he
would like to show her off to his
friends. At all events, though to-
morrow was his last day, he meant to
| make the most of it when Jasper s
back was turned.
"Good day, Bet,' he said, cheerily,
when he was ready to 60. $50 our
sittings are over. l hope you are as
sorry as I am! Here is a
little keepsake for wedding
present. what you will'' And as he
spoke he put round her neck a long
gold chain, such as Bet had never, in
her dreams, thought of possessing.
She gave a cry of delight, and her face
lit up with childlike pleasure and ad-
| miration.
"Oh. 'tis Notwithstanding
beautiful" she said gracefully. ss'Tis
too fine for such as ME sir. Oh, lean
not thank you as want! Look, JAS
per, look! Oh, l must show. aunt!
Isn't it beautiful, Jasper, lad?"
Jasper's flowers had fallen unheaded
to the ground, whilst Bet stroked the
chain with eager fingers, Jasper,
his brows drawn together; stood a
little apart from the other two, with
a hard knot in his heart.
'"tTis no use to such as thee" he
said sullenly. 'Thee's got no watch
to wear on it, and if thee had, tits too
fine to be Haunting on thy neck O.
work days"
"Thee's tired, Bet" said Jasper on
the following evening, coming up to
Bet as she sat pale and listless at the
window, gazing out into the night:
NAY, I'm not tired she answered
adding hurriedly, "Aye, Iam-tired to
death; I will go to bed. 'Tis the hot
sun wearies me. Good night Jasper" )"
'"Tis something else nor the sun,
I'm afeard," said Jasper gently, try.
ing to read her half-averted face. 'Ii
! thee would tell me what ails thee.
now? Maybe could help thee some
what"
| She was silent for moment, then
broke out impetuously-
| 81 want to see the world. I want
not to be here for ever, doing the
same thing day after day till l die.
"Tis poor spirit that never tries to
| fly the nest
"The wings are safer in the nest
| There's danger outside for such as
thee, with thy yellow hair and blue
eyes," said Jasper earnestly. "It's
what that artist said to thee some
time back. lass? Aye, l mind what he
bid thee-to 60 and make thy fortune
| by thy jace!"
"And if I make my fortune I'd bring
it to thee, lad," said the girl, turn
ing to him eagerly. '"Thee knows
It's not to forsake thee I'm wearying to
see the world. I'd come back to
thee"
| Nay" he said, stroking her hair
tenderly, as though she were some
frail flower that might fade beneath
his touch. s"Thee dost not know what
thee speakest OF. Bet. Thee'd never
come back. Not as I'd have thee stay
if thought thee'd be happier if thee
went. TITS for thy own sake 1 bid thee
stay. ] love thee, Bet"
"Tis not in thee to understand. /"
said Bet.
She rested her cheek for a. second
against his hand, then slipped quickly
upstairs to her little bedroom.
Once there, she did not 90 to bed,
but sat at the lattice window, strug-
Cling and fighting with her thoughts.
In her hand she held the gold chain,
caressing the shining links, and al
lowing her foolish little brain to dream
OF other pretty things, richer by far
than this.
Poor Bet She was innocent as the
daisies that spring in the meadows.
But in her very simplicity lay her dan
ger. 1t never occurred to her that
Challoner's hatterles were calculated
to do her harm by exciting ambitions
which could never be gratifed. He
told her she was sweet and lovely,
and that if she came to him in Lon.
| don he would make her lady, and
she should be his model and that all
other artists would envy. He was
clever, and she was vain Again say,
poor Bet!
She still seemed to feel the pressure
of his hand at parting, still to hear
his last whisper. "u you want me,
Bet-come."
Jasper? Oh, after time Jasper
would beproud OF her being a lady. It
was only that he did not understand.
So, as the old clock in the kitchen
4 f1nka6 ont ho al wv M ;p,,f oo q IA \ o,,n,